Early obesity risk factors more prevalent among Hispanics, blacks

A study in JAMA Pediatrics found the incidence of being overweight or obese at age 7 was nearly doubled in black and Hispanic children compared with their white counterparts. Researchers also found early-life risk factors associated with obesity -- including rapid infant weight gain, non-exclusive breast-feeding and early introduction to solid foods -- were more prevalent among Hispanics and blacks than whites, suggesting that infant care may partly explain racial discrepancies in childhood obesity.